Large ecstasy operation shut down, two arrests

The Lee County Sheriff's Office has arrested two people who were allegedly running a large scale ecstasy production operation in Fort Myers.

According to reports, the Lee County Narcotics Unit searched the home at 11371 Summerwinds Court after a K-9 conducted a free-air sniff of packages and alerted to the presence of narcotics in a package to be delivered to the Summerwinds address.

Inside the home and a vehicle on the property, deputies found nearly 2 pounds of amphetamine powder, nearly 600 capsules of ecstasy, approximately 15,000 empty capsules, cutting agents, 4 pharmaceutical grade capsule filling machines, measuring spoons, mixing bowls, materials to package the narcotics, a small amount of marijuana and hydrocodone.

Neighbor Jill Lamb says she had no clue her son's ex-girlfriend, Jesse Ann Whatley, was making and selling the drug.

Packages were delivered to that Summerwinds address. And narcotics detectives say one parcel was filled with the almost 513 grams of amphetamines.

"I'm glad they didn't ask me to sign for it when they weren't home. I wouldve said 'OK,'" Lamb said.

Detectives say the drug-filled parcels were addressed to Whatley's partner in crime - John Therrien.

"These people were in it. This was their job, this was their business and they were going to sell it," said Sgt. Stephanie Eller, with the Lee County Sheriff's Office. "This was a very large bust for us," Eller said.

The operation was capable of producing 15,000 doses of ecstasy with a street value of over $200,000.

"I'm glad it's gone. We were all shocked though," said neighbor Sandra Bittman.

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